Rail joint anchor



Patented Dec. 8, 1931 Henny STEPHENS, or oLEvELAND, omo, nssreionlT-.o THE? & ivrooMPANY; or. CH'IfQAl-Go,

(ZTI

immers,rroottromirion orinnrivorsf-,

maga-fam mmf I y This-invention relates to rail 'anchor devices adapted to clamp a portion of a railroad rail and engage a stationary part of the roadbed to resist longitudinal `creeping movement oftherail. The principal object of the invention is to provide a rail'anchor of simple andinexpensive construction which can be applied to a rail at the oints and Which'when .in its. applied position ywill have an interlocking engageinent with one ofv the splice` loarsfof the rail joint.. Specifically, the invention includes a -device having rupper* and lower jaws adapt-ed to he driveninto' clanipingengage'- nient with the lateral vflange 4.of an angle splice bar. and the bottom surface oa rail base, the anchor having ;a portion Which by reason of the resiliency of the anchor springs over and interlocks .Withan edge portion of saidsplice bar so as to maintain the anchor device in its applied position on the rail.

A further and incre specific object. of the invention isV to provide-a .rail anchor of the above construction Whichengages one side only of a railV and which preferably-tliough `not necessarily, is drivenftransverselyof the rail to its applied position. 1 Other objects or' theinventionwill `loe ap.- parent from lthe detailed description of the construction and operation ofthe specific ein.- bodiinents shown vin the accompanying drawings, wherein: r r i Fig. lV is a side view. of a rail joint; and showing one of niyirnproved railanchors applied to the rail in a position. to bear againstacrosstie. c Fig. Qis a cross-section taken on linei2a-2 of Fig. 1 illustrating the kmanner inV Which-the rail anchor device grips'the base .portionof a rail and interlocks with therail jointsplice har. 1 .f -1 n Fig. 3 is a View in perspective ofthe anchor device shown in Figs. l and 2L f n l Fig. l is a view similar to Fig.12 showing rail; anchor invits applied ypofsitiornthe rail anchor ofthis figure being :torrn'ed froinfa.

har bent to the configuration shown.-` Fig. 5 isa view 1n vperspective of the anchor device .shown in Fig. 4.' 'i

FigQ illustrates another 4ernbodiinentiloif `lateral.flange-of one splice. .bar andthe adthe anchor iszin its appliedposition, the said f `Application fndfrebremfy 27, 1931.* f serial No; 5183521* they yinvention in Which'the 'anchor device has an `interlocking engagement both with the rail fj oint' 4splice bar and` WithV .the longitudinal: edge ofthe? rail :base at the opposite .side

of the-raihand. 5 r' f f Fig -,7=;is a view inperspectiveof the anchor device shown in Fig. 6...; L .-1. Referring first ,to Figs; lto-3 vinclusive, of `the drawings %-1060 ndesignates adjacent ends oni railroadrails which are .clamped vtogether A:by means of splice bars? ll-lla and clamping bolts''lQ.A 'lhesplice'bars'-rnay loe of@ any desired-length@ v `Ordinarily these -nieinhersare of sujchlengthfasfto extend over substantially three cross ties. y c Thefsplice bars illustratedin the drawingsvare Oia gen- .eral-U angularjconstructionhaving a lateral ange which seats upon the inclinedupper surface 145 ojij,: 1,- rai l base flanges. Preferably the. lateral flanges l5 Vof thea anglebars vare formed yvithpan inclinedllpper surface 16 and terminate-With,-downturned edges 17 which :inthe n.orinlflifpe.Sitien off the .angle bar 'are -spacediea Short. dstanceffromf'theiadjacent edges l8-18 of theraihbase'anges. 1 Thera-,il anchor illustratedinthesegures is'preferably termed/.freni llat inetal stock :recessed t0 yprmfide aniupper-jaw Vl19? and' a lower jaW 2O Whichgtogether embrace the jacent marginal, portionof agrail base .llange. AThe' ,jaws 19y and 20.; arefre'silientand. are normally spread apart in applying?thean Chor Y'to its `,operative 'positongso that,` when javvsgripthellange l5 of the'spliceharand .thebottom sur-faceof. the railfbaseywith springgpressure. -The bearing surfacevof the -upperfjaw 19' grips `the inclined upper sur.-` `face. lofgthe angle splicel'oar and thelower 9'0 jaw vengages looththe flower edge 214 ofA the splice. bar i and the bottom; surface v22 of 'the hase ofthe rail l0.Vv *The lower edge of -the 'saidsplicef-fbar serves as a vulcruni'hearing against; which Zan` upvvarditurning pressure is Vexerted -t'o force i the end portion of the lower jaw 20finto .gripping Contact WithV the rail hase. `.The lower jaw 20 isfalsofformed l18 of the rail base flange.

and snap, by the resiliency of the lanchor,

into the spacebetween the down-turned portion `17 of the splice bar-and the adjacent edge The anchor dcvice may be applied to either side o f therail joint in a position whereby the lower j aw 2O of the anchor will abut against a verticalface of a cross tie 13. The angular arrangementl of the anchorasshownin Fig. 2'ma-kes it possible-to provide', a relatively deep tie abutting portion, that is to sayatie abutting portion whichiengages'the tie at a substantial distance below the bottom surface of the rail base, without", requiring the use of additional metal. Y

'In applying the anchorl toa rail joint structure, Ithe upperjaw 19 is hooked over the marginal' portionY of theV angle bar and the anchor is driven transversely of the rail until the shouldery 23 snaps over` the-.inner edge of the downeturned portion 17 of the angle bar.- In this position ofiy the anchor the jaws 19 yand-20 I-arespreadVV apart and consequently grip the upper-.surfacev of the'angle bar and the bottomv surface of the rail base respectively.

In Figs. 4- and-5 ofthe drawings a modified form of anchor is illustratedin connection with arailjoint structure of the same construction as shown in- Figs. 1 and 2: This modified form ofrailanchor is preferably made from -a relatively heavy bar of metal which is bent at one` endV to a hook shaped configuration to provide a -short arm or jaw 25 and a long arm v2G. The short arm or-jaw 25 is formed-at its end withlvabearing 27 adapted to bear on the inclined upper-surface 16of the angle splieebarlll at a point-located inwardly from the o-uter marginfofthe anglebar. The long arm26 includesfa portion 28 which functions as la lower jaw for gripping the under sur-- face ofthe downturned portion 17 of the angle splice bar and a tail portion 29 which bears against-the Ibottom ofthe railbase,`

`preferably at the Amiddle of said base. The

said tail portion is formed with afflat sur-` face 30 so as to-increase the frictional engagement of the -said tail=portion with the bottom surfacecof the railwhenfthe anchor is -in its4 appliedv position. The 4portion of the arm 26 intermediate the bearingV 30 vand the jaw portion 28 isbowed downwardly relativeto the-bottom surface yofthe rail base so as to provide a ti'e abutment which en.- gagesthe tie at a substantial distancebelow the bottomlsurface. of therail base. vThe portion of thearm adjacent the jawportion -which the arms 25 and 26 have to resume the position from which they are sprung exerts a. tight spring gripping action on the top surface of the splice bar, the lower surface of the portion 17 of said bar and the bottom surface ofthe rail base. This anchor is applied to itsv operative position in the same manner as that indicated in connection with the form of invention shown in Figs.. 1 to 3 inclusive, the bottom surface 'of the downturned portion 17 serving as a fulcrum bearing which by reason of the downward pressure of the surface 27 on the inclined surface off the angle splice bar forces the bearing 3() at the tail of the device up against the bottom surface of the rail base. The curvature 32 of the arm adjacent shoulder 31 serves as acamto spread the arms-25 and 26 apart whenthe inner end of the arm 25 is driven upwardly on the inclined4 surface 16 of the splice bar 11.

. In Figs. 6 and 7 another .modified construction is sho-wn in which the anchor device hasan interlocking engagement with the lower innerV edge of the' downturned portion 17 of. the angle'splice barA 11 and also has a locking engagement 'with the vertical edge portionof the rail base at the opposite side ofthe rail. VT his modified.construction is ilvlustrated herein as being made from flat plate stock` of substantially the same thickness as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. It will be obvious, however, that this form of anchor can be made by bending metal bar such as show-n lin 5 if it is so desired.V The anchor device shown in Figs. 6 and 7 consists of an under-rail portion 33 formed to engage the bottom surface of the rail base .adjacentopposite edgesthereof. One end of the underrail portion 'is-formed with an upper-jaw 34 which engages the inclined upper surface 16 of the angle splice bar` 11 and is formed also with a lower jaw 35 which bears against the bottom surface of the downturned portion 17 ofthe splice bar. A locking shoulder V36 is-formed adjacent the bearing surface of the lower jaw 35 in a position to: snap over'the lower'innei'edge of `theportion 17 of the splice bar rwhen the anchoris driven to its appliedposition` on thev rail. The :saidishoulder 36 serves to interlock the anchor with the `splice. bar. rEhe otherend of the underrail portion 33 is provided with a shoulder 37 which in the appli-ed position of the anchor interlocksewith the edge of the rail baseat vthe opposite side of the rail, the

saidshioulder 37pr'ojecting-into the space between the edgeofthe rail base and the downtu'rned portion 17a; of? the angle splice 'bar lla. Theunder-rail;'portionp'33 ofthe anchor isl also preferably formed 'with a downwardly-projecting portion 38 ffor increasing the depth of the tie abutting face of the anchor; he portion 38 'mayl bej` formed to eX- tend anysuitable distance below the bottom surface/oftherail base. l

This form ofanchor is applied toits operative position bydriving ititransversely of the 'rail in-'the 'same manner as described-in cennection with'the Vembodiments shown in Figs. 2 and 4, until'v'the shoulders 36 and 3? snap into their interlocking engagement with the splice bar and lower corner portion of the rail base respectively. The resilience of the jaw end 34 ofthe anchor exerts anup-ward force on the opposite endl o-f the vanchor to hold theshoulder 37 in its locking position.

While the invention is yillustrated herein in three specic embodiments inwhich the upper and lower jaws have certain proportions, itwill beobvious that the proportions shown can befvaried'without departure from the scope ofV this invention= and thatlit shouldbe uiiderstoodthat the claims hereto appended should not be limited except insofarv as'limitations are expressed thereinor imposed by theiprior art.` 1 v :Icjam: c c

y l. A rail anchor for application to-a rail joint structure and comprising a clamp member provided' with means for gripping engagement-with a'railA joint splice. bar, means nrovidin-gan interlock vbetween the clamp and a portion of the'splice bar, and-means for abuttingagainst a stationary lpart o' the road bed." A

2. A-railanchor for applicationto a rail joint structure and comprising a clamp member provi-ded Ywith means forl gripping en` gagement with the railjoint splice bar,- means ou the clamp providing an interlock between the clampand a portion of the splice bar, and means forabntting against a stationary part ofthe `road? bed'.` l

- 3.y A rail anchor for application to a rail joint structure and comprising a clamp member providedwith means for gripping engagement with a rail joint splice bar and the base portion of the rail, a Vshoulder on the clamp whicln in -the applied position of the clamp, interlocks with a portion of the splice bar to maintain the clamp in its applied position, and means for abutting against a stationary part of the road bed. j

1l. A rail anchor for application to a rail oint structure and comprising a clamp memberhaving upper and lower jaws adapted to grip a rail joint splice bar and aportion of the rail base respectively; a portion of said lower jaw being formed to interlock with an edge portion of said splice bar to. mained to gripaffrailjointsplice-bar andl apor-y tion ofthe rail-baseiresp'ectively; said lower jaw being providedwith'a shoulder which, in the applied position of the clamp, interlocks with an Sedgelportion of said splicebar to maintainthe clamp in its applied posit,

rail anchory for application to. arail joint structure and comprising a plate mem:- ber recessed topr'ovideupper and lower jaws whichembrace and grip a portion of a vrail joint Vsplice bar' andoneiflange of therail base respectively,fthe said lower aw being formed with a shoulder Lfor locking engagementv with said splicebar.V 1 f Y y+7. 5A' rail anchor for application to a rail joint structure :and comprising-rfa member formedwith upper and lower jaws adapted to ibe= driven A into A gripping engagement with the upper and lower surfaces ofy arailjoint splice bar; said lower jawbeing formed with a portion for engaging the bottom surface of the rail base. 1 f

8.' .A rail anchor for application to a rail joint structure land comprising a 'member formed with upper and lower jaws adapted to berdriven into gripping engagement with the upper vand lower surfaces of a rail joint j splice'bar; said lowerj aw being formed with a portion for lockingengageinent with said splice'barrandwith a portion for engaging the bottom surface of the rail base.

S9. A raillanchor for application to a rail joint structure and-comprising a bar bent to form at oneend upper andlowerjaws adaptedito be driven" into gripping engagement with the upper and lowersurfaces of a rail joint splice bar; said lower jaw being formed with a portion extending inwardly from its said engagement with said splic'ebar and adapted to bear against the bottom surface of the railbase. j

'10.' A rail anchor for application to a rail joint'structure and comprising a bar of resilient metal bent to format one end thereof upper and'lower jaws adapted to be driven intor gripping engagement with the upper and lower surfaces of afrail joint splice bar; the-said lower jaw being formed with a downwardlyfbowed extensionproviding a tail portion' which', in the appliedposition 'of the anchor,- bearsagainst the bottom of the rail baseand also abuts against `a vertical face of across/tie. 1 i 7 1l. A rail anchor for application to a rail joint structure and comprising a bar bent to form-atene end of the anchor upper and lowerjaws which embrace ya portion of a rail joint splice .bar, the-lower jaw providing'afulcrumbearingfor engaging the bottomofisaidfsplicei'bar and thelupper jaw bearing on an inclined surface of saidV splice bar whereby inward movement of the anchor on theinclined surface of thesplice bar rocksfthe anchor about said fulcruin bearing; the said lower jaw includingY a' portionfwhich bears againstthe bottomsurface of the v rail when the anchor is Vforced to its applied position. Y t.

12. A rail anchor for application to` a `rail joint strnctureand comprising a bar bent to form at one end of the anchor upperand lower jaws whichembrace a portion cfa rail joint splice ba r,'fthe lowerjawproviding -a fulcrum bearingfor Iengaging the bottom of said splice bar and the Vupper jaw bearing on an inclinedsurface of said splice bar, .whereby inward movement of the anchor on the inclined surface of the splice,bar.rocks the anchor about said fulcrum bearing; the said lower jaw being formed with .a portion for locking engagement with said splice bar and with a.V downwardlyj` bowed portion which bears at its extremity aganst'the bottom surfaceof the railbase. j. j

13. A rail vanchor for application to arail joint structure4 and .comprising abar which entends across and beneath the base portion of the rail and formed at one end with a shoulder yfor locking engagement with one edge ofthe railrbase and formednt the other end with upper and` lower jaws for engaging thc top and bottoinsurfaces of a rail joint splice bar, the said lower jaw being formed with means adapted to move into interlockengagement with .the said splice ba'r when theanchor isf'o'rcedto' its applied position.

1e. A rail anchor for application to a rail joint structure and'comprising an under-rail portion formedaty one Vend with upper and lower jaws adapted to bef' driven into gripping ei'igagement vwith the top andbottom snrfacesof arail joint splice bar and formed atY the other' end with a'shoulder which, in the applied'position of the anchor engages over the lower corner' portion of the base flange of the rail at the opposite side of .the rail.

15, A railjancho-r for application to a rail joint strncture and comprisinga bar having a downwardly bowed nnderrail portion adapted to bear against a cross tie andformed at one `end with ya shoulder for locking engagement with -the lower corner portion ofa e flange at onesideof the rail baseland ined at the lother end with an inwardly projecting jaw for. gripping engagement with arail joint splice bar whereby the said anchor device is maintained on the rail by a clamping action exerted on the said splice bar and rail base respectively.

1G. The combinatOn .with a base portion of a railroad rail andan angle splice bar for joining said rail with another, saidsplicebar bei-ng formed at its outer edge'with a downturned iport'iomof araihanchor comprising a clampformed with an nppelrj aw 'for lengaging over the mzu'gin'alv portion. 0f sadplice bar, a lower jaw. for engaging. the' bottom Surface of `said rail base, andmeans on the lower jaw which, jin the applied 4position of the clamp, interlocks with a portion of said splice bar to maintainjthe anchor device in its applied pQStOn- .Y 1 `17, The combination witha base'portion of a Arailroad railand an angle `splice bar for joining said rail with another, said splice ber. being formed et imputer. @dee with a downturned portion Anormally spaced outwardiy from theedgeof .the base yflange of the rail, of a rail anchor device for application'to one side only of saidrail joint structure and comprising a clamp member formed with. upper and lower aws whichembrace the marginal portion o tsaid anglebar and a portion of the adjacentbase flange of the rail, and means on the clampzadapted to project into the space between jthe said downtrned portion ofthe splice bar and the adjacent edge of the rail base to lock the anchor device in vits applied position. v

18. VThe combination with a base portion of a railroad rail and a splice bar for'joining said rail with another, ,the said splice bar being formed to project be ond the edge ofthe rail base and having ajslioulder located inwardly rornthe onteredge of said bar,

of a rail'anchor provided with meansadapted to be forced transversely of the Irail into gripping engagement with a top and a bottom snrtaceof said splicebar and provided with a locking shoulder adapted-nto spring into locking engagement with the said shoulder of the splice bar when the anchor is Jforced to its operative position.

19. The combinationwith the base portion of a railroad rail and a splice-bar for'joining saidrail with another, the said splice bar being Aformed to project beyond one edge of the rail base and is formed with a shoulder located inwardly romthe outer edge ofrsaid banot al rail anchor .comprising av spring metal bar bent to form -a short arm for gripping engagement with the top surface of said splice bar and a long arm h avingvan interlocking engagement with the shonlder of the said splice barandjbowed downwardly beneathy therail base and bearing at its extremity against the bottom-surface of thefrail base.I

HENRY STEPHENS. 

